Atlanta

“Buckle up and drive safely!”

The Californian part of me chuckled when the flight attendent ended her “Welcome to Atlanta” speech with a tidbit of well wishes ― after all, what city could possibly be more drivable than Los Angeles?

I wasn’t wrong (I don’t think). Atlanta has MARTA, a public transportation system that will get you to desired places efficiently if they’re located north, south, east, or west of downtown.

Despite being a hustling city, Atlanta exudes a warm serenity that I have yet to encounter in other cities. Towns, yes — cities, no. Peach blossoms rustled around me, evidenced by the multitude of pink hues in my photographs, as I walked and save for the occasional car horn or conversation, the city was oddly quiet.

Atlanta is like the getaway city for those who want to delude themselves into thinking they can be one with nature, but realistically know that they need the amenities of humankind. Strange dichotomy, but it works.

Should you find yourself here, get away from the downtown area and have a picnic under some peach trees. Grab a bottle of coke too — you are in the Cola Cola capital of the nation afterall. And maybe, for a few moments, you can just be.